Best places to visit in North America in April

North America

United States · 28°C (82°F) · 7 rainy days

Honolulu

Waikīkī surf, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor and year-round warm sea. A sweet spot after the winter crowds, with drier weather and lower hotel rates.

United States · 23°C (73°F) · 3 rainy days

Los Angeles

Beaches, Hollywood history, free museums and serious taco culture. Mild, mostly dry and clear; spring-break weeks bring families to the theme parks.

United States · 18°C (64°F) · 5 rainy days

San Francisco

Cable cars, steep hills and the Golden Gate Bridge in summer fog. Mild and increasingly dry, with blossom in Golden Gate Park and the Japanese Tea Garden.

United States · 26°C (79°F) · 2 rainy days

Las Vegas

Themed resorts, big shows and the desert parks beyond the Strip. Ideal weather for both pools and hiking, with resort pool clubs reopening for the season; weekends are busy.

United States · 28°C (82°F) · 6 rainy days

Miami

Art Deco beaches, Cuban coffee windows and street art in winter sun. Hot and mostly dry with a warming sea; a good month once spring break ends.

United States · 17°C (63°F) · 11 rainy days

New York City

Skyline views, world-class museums, Broadway and food from every culture. Cherry and magnolia blossom in the parks and pleasant walking weather, though showers are frequent.

United States · 26°C (79°F) · 7 rainy days

New Orleans

Live jazz every night, Creole cooking, Mardi Gras and the French Quarter. Ideal weather and the city's best festival month; book hotels well ahead.

United States · 20°C (68°F) · 11 rainy days

Washington, D.C.

Free Smithsonian museums, monuments on the Mall and historic rowhouse neighbourhoods. Mild, green and the busiest month, with blossoms, school groups and Easter visitors; book hotels and timed museum passes early.

United States · 28°C (82°F) · 8 rainy days

Maui

Haleakalā sunrise, the Road to Hāna and winter humpback whales. Drier weather returns and the last whales leave; a quieter shoulder month after Easter.

United States · 21°C (70°F) · 4 rainy days

San Diego

Year-round mild beaches, Balboa Park's museums and Baja-style tacos. Clear, mild days with the last of the rain; a comfortable month for hiking at Torrey Pines and the coast.

United States · 23°C (73°F) · 9 rainy days

Atlanta

Civil rights history, the BeltLine, Southern cooking and leafy in-town neighbourhoods. One of the best months: warm, green and full of outdoor festivals.

United States · 27°C (81°F) · 7 rainy days

Austin

Live music, brisket, spring-fed swimming and the Texas Hill Country. Bluebonnets and warm, comfortable days; one of the best months, though storms are possible.

United States · 25°C (77°F) · 7 rainy days

Dallas

JFK history, a free downtown arts district, brisket and the State Fair. Warm and green, with bluebonnets along highways; storms with hail are possible.

United States · 26°C (79°F) · 8 rainy days

Houston

NASA's Mission Control, a world-class Museum District and the most varied food in Texas. Warm, with azaleas, wildflowers and peak crawfish season.

United States · 28°C (82°F) · 4 rainy days

Key West

Sunset at Mallory Square, Hemingway's house and reef trips at the end of US-1. Excellent weather and calmer seas; crowds ease after Easter.

United States · 22°C (72°F) · 11 rainy days

Nashville

Honky-tonks, the Ryman and Grand Ole Opry, and fiery hot chicken. Mild and green with tulips at Cheekwood; one of the best months, though severe storms are possible.

United States · 30°C (86°F) · 2 rainy days

Phoenix

Desert mountain hikes, saguaro gardens, resort pools and Sonoran food. Warm to hot and dry, with cactus blooms; still pleasant for early hikes.

United States · 25°C (77°F) · 7 rainy days

Charleston

Pastel row houses, Lowcountry cooking and harbour forts on a walkable peninsula. Warm, dry and gorgeous, one of the busiest months; book hotels and Fort Sumter ferries early.

United States · 28°C (82°F) · 6 rainy days

San Antonio

The Alamo, Spanish missions, the River Walk and Tex-Mex at its source. Bluebonnets in the Hill Country and Fiesta in the city make this the busiest and most festive month.

United States · 26°C (79°F) · 6 rainy days

Savannah

Live-oak squares, Spanish moss and a walkable riverfront in Georgia's oldest city. Warm and dry with long evenings; one of the best months but busy on weekends.

United States · 23°C (73°F) · 3 rainy days

Sedona

Red-rock buttes, canyon trails, creekside swims and dark desert skies. Warm, dry and one of the best months for hiking, with wildflowers and cactus blooms.

Beach, city or budget: April picks by trip type

What's on in April

Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.

• Honolulu: Waikīkī Spam Jam street festival (usually late April)
• Los Angeles: Coachella and Stagecoach festivals in the desert near Palm Springs raise regional demand (usually April)
• San Francisco: Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown (usually April)
• Las Vegas: Pool club season opens at Strip resorts (usually March or April)
• New York City: Cherry blossom at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (usually April)
• New Orleans: French Quarter Festival — free music stages (usually mid-April)
• Washington, D.C.: National Cherry Blossom Festival parade (usually a Saturday in early-to-mid April)
• San Diego: Easter school holidays (March or April)
• Atlanta: Atlanta Dogwood Festival in Piedmont Park (usually mid-April)
• Austin: Bluebonnet season in the Hill Country (usually late March to April)
• Dallas: Deep Ellum Arts Festival (usually April)
• Houston: Houston Art Car Parade (usually April)

Daylight in April

Day length on these trips ranges from about 12.6 hours in Maui to 13.2 hours in New York City (sunrise to sunset on 15 April). Longer days mean more sightseeing time; shorter ones favour museums, food and evenings.

April weather compared

Questions travellers ask